


Names

by LoudenSwain713



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Ending, Drabble, Gen, Original Character(s), Powerful Credence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-15
Updated: 2017-03-15
Packaged: 2018-09-01 00:19:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8599624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoudenSwain713/pseuds/LoudenSwain713
Summary: When Ira was four, at the start of the Great War, his mother sent him to live with a woman and her daughter in New York. Years later, he has lost himself amidst lies and confusion. It takes his own death to remember his power.OrCredence used to be Ira, but then everything changed. Now he's being hunted by wizards and being called something like an 'Obscurial'





	

**Author's Note:**

> I lied, it's a bit longer than a drabble, but only by 27 words.

A woman crouched down in a New York door-step, water running from her eyes. She straightened her son’s jacket, smiling through the tears. “You’ll be good, won’t you, Ira? You’ll be good for Mama?”

The boy, almost five, nodded. “I’ll be good, Mama.”

There was a pause.

“And you’ll come back for me?”

The woman bit her lip, though Ira didn’t seem to notice. “Of course, darling.” She stood up, smoothed out her dress, and knocked sharply on the door. After a few moments, the door swung open to reveal a woman with dark hair and a thin, sickly face.

Her expression was hard but became forcibly kinder as she caught sight of Ira. “This is the boy?”

Ira’s mother nodded. “He isn’t picky, he’ll eat anything you put in front of him, and he doesn’t cry much. He won’t be any trouble, I promise.”

The woman on the other side of the door smiled stiffly. “That’s perfect. I’m sure he’ll be very happy here.” She turned away, ducking back inside, presumably to give the mother and son some time to say goodbye.

Wrapping Ira in a hug, the woman smiled sadly. “Miss Mary Lou will take care of you, and you won’t do anything to her, will you?”

Ira looked at his hands briefly before he rose his gaze to meet his mother’s. “No, Mama.”

“Good.” She rummaged in her bag for a second before she pulled out a thin, wooden object. She handed it to the boy, wrapping his short fingers around it and tucking them into his coat. “Now, you mustn’t ever tell Miss Mary you have that, ok?”

Ira didn’t answer immediately, so his mother repeated the question, her voice slightly more forceful. This time Ira nodded.

Sighing, the woman pulled the child into one more quick hug, pushing him away as Mary Lou Barebone stepped back into the doorway. “Goodbye, Ira. Thank you, Miss Barebone.”

Mary Lou nodded. “It’s nothing.”

She stepped forward and snaked her arm carefully around the child.

Without looking back, Ira’s mother turned and walked away, the cars of the busy street obscuring her as she crossed two lanes and a crowd of people.

“MAMA!” Ira’s pained cries echoed around the street. Tears streamed down his red face as he struggled against the hands holding him. He kicked and screamed against the woman behind him. “Mama! Come back!”

Harshly, Mary Lou dragged the boy inside the house. She quickly shut the door, and the gloom of the house momentarily obscured his vision. When Ira could see again, he became aware of a flight of stairs leading to a landing and set of rooms. Suddenly a girl a few years older than himself ran down the stairs toward him.

“Credence! I’m so glad you’re finally here!”

Ira looked from the girl to Miss Barebone in confusion. “I’m not Credence. My name’s Ira.” He looked back at the girl. “It’s nice to meet you.”

The girl looked at her mother. “Mother, what does Credence mean?”

Mary Lou shook her head firmly. “Don’t worry yourself, Chastity. Go upstairs.”

When Chastity didn’t move after a few seconds, her mother turned to her, her face suddenly vicious. “Now, child!”

Chastity wasted no time then, scrambling up the stairs hastily. Before she went into her room, however, she turned back to Ira, looking at him through the railings. She didn’t say anything, just looked at him quietly. Ira blinked and the girl was gone, her door closing.

Ira looked at the woman and saw her eyes. There was no kindness in those eyes, not really. “I don’t understand.”

The woman thought a moment before she kneeled to the boy’s level. “Well, with the war starting, your mother and I thought it would be best if your name was changed. For safety.”

Ira didn’t quite believe her. After all, he and his mother weren’t in any real danger before, and wouldn’t she have told him if his name was to be changed? Nonetheless, he didn’t entirely like this woman, and he thought it might be best if he acted fine for now. Ira nodded mutely.

Mary smiled, it was a cold, metallic smile, and patted the boy on the head.  “Now Credence, why don’t you go get your sister and come down for dinner?” 

* * *

The last thing the boy heard as the lights hit him was the angry, anguished cry of Percival Graves. “No!”

There was a twinge of satisfaction inside him, a feeling that was somewhat out of place, seeing as he was most definitely about to die. It was nice, though, to deny the man who betrayed him the one thing he could: satisfaction. The light and pain intensified and with one final scream of agony, Credence Barebone was no more.

* * *

Ira woke up with rubble pressed uncomfortably against his back and side. He felt a groan rising to his lips, but he held it back. He didn’t know what was out there. Slowly, without opening his eyes, Ira flexed his limbs. Nothing broken. Good.

After he had convinced himself that he was, in fact, alive, he opened his eyes. At first, the room spun with blurry images, but soon it settled on a bricked ceiling. Summoning his strength, he pushed himself upright with a grunt.

Suddenly, he became aware of complete silence. It was then that it occurred to him that he wasn’t completely alone, that earlier there had been the rise and fall of four voices. Instinctively, before his eyes recognized the people as friends, his magic welled up and produced a crude but effective shield. Expecting a barrage of spells, Ira was surprised when they didn’t come. Instead, he heard a whispered “Incredible!” and a call of “Credence?”

Properly looking at who was standing near him, Ira was relieved to see the witch and wizard from before. He tried to speak, but his throat was dry and the extended use of magic, after years of not approaching it, was draining him. Clumsily, he let the shield fall and limped/stumbled the few steps to smooth ground. He tried to speak again, this time with success.

“It’s Ira, actually. Ira McAvoy.”

**Author's Note:**

> Constructive criticism is appreciated.


End file.
